The use of vitamin K in the perinatal period. Fetus and Newborn Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society.

The incidence of hemorrhagic disease of the newborn (HDNB) can be expected to increase in Canada as breast-feeding becomes more popular. There are three clinical patterns of hemorrhagic disease: early HDNB (usually related to maternal drug ingestion), classic HDNB (related to breast-feeding) and late hemorrhagic disease of infancy (related to the combination of breast-feeding and diseases that cause fat malabsorption). Despite the knowledge …